STENDEL IN THE CATS’ EYES
... Stendel and Ross also exit
SACKED Barnsley boss Daniel Stendel is emerging as a leading contender for the vacant Sunderland’s manager’s job.
The Black Cats, who received permission to speak to Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth, have Stendel high on their shortlist to replace Jack Ross.
And a source close to Stendel’s camp has confirmed he is still firmly on Sunderland’s radar, with the north-east outfit being ‘very interested’ in him.
The German coach was dismissed by the Tykes on Tuesof – only hours before Sunderland axed Ross.
Black Cats owner Stewart Donald quickly identified Stendel as a possible successor, saying: “I’m sure he’ll be somebody we’ll potentially look at.’’
Donald wants a manager to lead Sunderland to promotion after they missed out under Ross last season by losing the League One play-off final to Charlton.
Stendel fits the profile, having taken Barnsley up last term, but he managed only one win this season and they are second bottom in the Championship.
Ainsworth, who has steered Wycombe into promotion conday tention in League One, has been in charge of the Chairboys for seven years and led them up from League Two in 2017-18.
Millwall are another club interested in Ainsworth as they seek a replacement for Neil Harris.
Despite Ainsworth being contracted until the summer 2023, Wycombe are expected to claim only modest compensation.
Sunderland are also eyeing Wigan’s Paul Cook, who has ex-Black Cats boss Peter Reid on his backroom staff, QPR’s Mark Warburton and former Bolton manager Phil Parkinson.
HOURS after he was sacked by Reading, Jose Gomes released a statement in which he cordially accepted his fate.
“I understand the decision taken by the club, about which I will never have a bad word to say,” said the 49-year-old Portuguese, who was fired on Wednesday after a fourth defeat in five games.
Such gratitude is understandable. Having already agreed to treble his annual salary when he arrived from Rio Ave last December, Reading’s Chinese owners then bought city-centre houses for Gomes and all of his coaching and technical staff. This week, he departed with a hefty pay-off.
That generosity was largely compensation for accepting the influence of super agent Kia Joorabchian, who has long been rumoured to direct transfer policy at the Madejski.
Gomes did many things right during his eight months in Berkshire. He kept Reading in the Championship, raised crowds and re-established a bond between fanbase and players that was lost during the tetchy tenure of predecessor Paul Clement. Yet he was, fundamentally, a patsy.
“People like Jose, they’re just stooges, really,” said one Royals insider. “They are just there to front the operation so that these super agents can sign all the players and make a lot of money. That’s why, in terms of a manager, Joorabchian wants someone he can control.”
Will that deter Mark Hughes, the current front-runner for the job? Not according to Hughes’ former Wales colleague Danny Gabbidon, who has backed the former Southampton and Stoke boss to be appointed by the end of next week.
Hughes’ long-time assistant Mark Bowen is the sporting director at Reading, a role that would ease any potential friction between the manager and the board. Even if he reverted to being a No.2, Bowen would still have the ear of Joorabchian and owner Dai Yongge. For all parties, it would appear a workable arrangement.
Other names linked to the post include Roy Keane, out of work since leaving Nottingham Forest in the summer, and Daniel Stendel, who was sacked by Barnsley on Tuesday after winning just one of 11 Championship matches this term.
Grisly
Stendel, 45, is also in the frame at Sunderland, who completed a grisly hat-trick on the managerial front by axing under-fire boss Jack Ross. The Scot, who took over following relegation to League One in 2018, failed to secure an instant return to the second-tier last season and was dismissed on Tuesday despite having lost just ten of his 75 games at the helm. “At any other club in League One, there is probably very little chance of being sacked being sixth in the table,” said owner Stewart Donald, who has also been forced to fend off rumours that a long-awaited takeover by an American consortium is close to collapse.
“But the reality of this club is that we have the best travel arrangements, the best medical investment, we have the best facilities, we have got the best budget.
“I believe we have got the best squad.
“We are, I would have thought, the most professional League One club there has ever been in lots of ways. With that set-up, I think it is fair to expect us to deliver success.”
Whether it is Stendel or Gareth Ainsworth – the Wycombe Wanderers manager who has been granted permission to speak with Sunderland – who assumes the hotseat, only promotion will suffice.
As for Stendel’s replacement at Oakwell, ex-Bolton manager Phil Parkinson is one name being considered, though early favourite Nigel Pearson has drifted.
Having recruited first Jose Morais and then Stendel, however, an overseas appointment would appear the most likely, with Huddersfield flop Jan Siewert – sacked by the Terriers in August after just one win in 19 league games – the bookies’ favourite.